The culture and traditions of China's Longtaitou Festival

The traditional Chinese Longtaitou Festival, or Dragon-Head-Raising Festival, falls on the second day of the second lunar month every year, and recognizes the start of spring and farming. This year it falls on February 21.

Ancient people believed that after this day, rainfall increases because the rain-bringing Dragon King has awakened from his winter sleep.

A well-known phrase goes, "Er yue er, long tai tou," meaning, "On the second day of the second month, the dragon lifts his head."